Display stand



Dec. 15, 1942. E.-R. ERIICKSON DISPLAY STAND Filed Jul 51, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l BY 4" a? ATTORNEYS v Dec. 15, 1942..

E. R. ERICKSON 2,305,244

DI SPLAY STAND Filed July 31, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY 5 Patented Dec. 15, 1942 warren STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY STAND Ernest R. Erickson. Des Moines, Iowa, assignor to C. E. Erickson Company, Incorporated, Des Moines, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application) July 31, 1939, Serial No. 287,594 7 Claims. (01.- 211-134) My invention has reference to that class of devices utilized for displaying food stulfs or other mechandise for sale, as in grocery or delicatessen stores and the like. 7

' An object of my invention is to provide a display fixture in which the vertical position of the shelves on the stand can be selectively adjusted.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel end-rail construction embodying improvements and advantages over older forms.

Another object is to provide a structure for such'displa'y fixture in which various sizes and styles of shelf members can be used interchangeably without any changes in the structure.

Still another object is to provide a display fixture having a distinctively neat,' trim and modern appearance.

With these and other objects in view, my inventened'to the end panel It by screws 28 (Figures 1 and 2) and 39 (Figures 2 and 6). 'The screws 28 pass centrally through the portion 22 of the posts I8 andthe screws 3! pass through the edge of the portion 22, as can'be seen in Figureo.

A plurality of holes are provided in the portion 22, spaced longitudinally therealongvat uniform distances so that the portion of the post it which extends out of and-above theend panels M may tion consists in the construction; arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a display stand embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view partly in section taken on the line 33 of Figure 6 and showing details of the bracket supporting the rear of one of the shelf members in the display stand. Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line l4 of Figure 5.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section taken onthe line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

On the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral It to indicate a base portion, which may be formed in any suitable manner and of any desired material, although I preferably form it of sheet metal. 'I provide it with supporting feet l2 at the corners.

At the ends of the base portion Iii, I provide end panels M which serve both as an end enclosure for the shelf I5 which constitutes the top of the base l2, and also as support members for the upper portions of my devices.

At the rear corners of the end panels It I mount supporting posts l8, there being two in each display stand. The vertical corners of the end panels M are preferably rounded as at 2D to receive the supporting posts It which are formed from sheet metal to a cross section having an 55 be selectively adjusted. by fastening the screws 28 and 30 through any desired set of holes;

On the post I8 I provide suitable supports for the display of merchandise such as the cake tray '32 and the shelf 34. .These are clamped to the posts I8 by brackets 36 comprising clamp means for adjusting the brackets vertically along the posts I8 and suitable perforations for adjusting the inclination and the front-to-back location of the shelves as more fully described and covered in my'Patent No. 2,247,436.

The top edge of the end panels M is formed into a flange consisting of a horizontal web 33 and a vertical web All. A shelf {52 has similar flanges ,formed'at its ends comprising vertical webs 44 and horizontal webs 48. A screw 48 is passed through a hole 49a in the vertical web M of the shelf 42 near the front edge of the shelf. The horizontal web 38 has an opening 39 formed at its rear corner, through which the post !8 is passed.

To-support the rear portion of the shelf 42 I provide bracket means which are best shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6. A bracket member 50 has one edge formed into a flange 52, and an oppositely extending tongue portion 5 in which I form a slot 56. A clamp plate 58 is formed with a down-turned lip portion 60 along one edge and an up-turned flange portion 62 along its opposite edge. The clamp plate 58 is retained in relation to bracket 50 by a bolt 64 which passes through the two members. A cap nut 66 is threaded on the bolt 64. The portions 68 may be up-struck in the bracket 50 to engage the down-turned lip 60 of the clamp plate 58 and prevent binding on the bolt 64'. v

A bolt 10 is passed through a hole Ha in the on the bolt 64 will clamp the bracket 50 in any desired vertical position along the flange 24 of the supporting post I8. By making this vertical adjustment the rear edge of the shelf 42 is elevated or depressed as desired and the inclination of the shelf can be set in any desired way. The

slot 56 makes allowance for the fact that when such adjustment is made the rear edge of the shelf 42 travels not vertically but in an are about the mounting screw 48.

In addition to the pair of holes 490 and Ila,

the web portion 44 of the shelf 42 may also have 3 other pairs of holes such as 4%, Nb, and 490, I Ic, spaced on the same centers as the holes 49a and Ila. It will be seen that by selecting the desired pair of holes in the web 44 for mounting the shelf, the front-to-back location of the shelf can be selected as desired. This permits a suitable arrangement of shelf 42 with'respect'to shelf I6, the amount of projection being variable according to the location of the fixture in the store, the type of goods displayed, or any other requirement which may affect the desirability of exposing goods on the lower shelf to view.

It will be plain, then, that any one of the shelves 42 and 34, and the tray 32, may be adjusted independently of the others, either as to angle of inclination, as to front-to-back location, or, in the case of the shelf 34 and the tray 32, as to vertical height on the supports I8. The extensibility of the posts I8 from the end panels'I4 gives additional range to the height adjustment.

Shelves may be provided in various front-toback depths, and in different styles, as will be seen by comparing the tray 32 and the shelf 34; the various types can be interchanged at any level on the posts I8, because they are all provided with similarly punched end flanges.

As previously pointed out, my fixture is especially adapted for the display of bakery goods, and the tray 32 and shelf 34 are designed especially for holding cakes, rolls, and similar specialties, whereas the shelves 42 and I6 are more suitable for displaying bread in the conventional loaf form. In the latter case the loaves-are often stood on end, and some sort of railing or other protective arrangement is desirable to keep them from falling out of position. To reduce the possibility that merchandise may be jarred or otherwise fall off the rear edge of the shelf 42 I provide the cross member 14. r

At the ends of the shelf 42 I have provided end rails III) which are both useful and ornamental. I form the end rail III) of a single piece of rod as can be seen in Figure, 5. One end of the rod is threaded as at H2 and fastened in the web 38 of the end panel l4 by nuts H4. The rod H0 is further supported by a clamp IIG which engages the rod IIII between the bends I I8 and I20.

The clamp H6 is fastened on the posts I8 by a through-bolt I22 passing through a hole I24 (Figure 4) in the'clamp H6 and a hole I26 in the post I8, and fastened by a cap nut I28. A number of holes I26 may be provided, spaced vertically along the post I8 on the same unit spacing as employed for the holes provided in the post I8 for the screws 28 and 3B. The other member I4 and the end rails IHJ constitutes a railing on both sides and back of the shelf so that loaves of bread placed on end on the shelf will be held in neat order but will still be largely exposed to view. The trade names, etc., will not be covered up, and the benefit of the display value of the wrapper designs will be largely retained.

The fixture when assembled presents a strikingly neat and clean-cut appearance and, as above described, it is readily adaptable for use in various circumstances by provision of the desired type and size of shelf 'at each level and by assembling each shelf with an'inclination and front-to-back projection most suitable for the type of display intended. A'plate I32,.bearing any desired advertising or sales message, may be mounted on the shelf 34, as shown.

Some changes may be made in the construc tion and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it. is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure, or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a display fixture, a base portion, end panels fixed thereto, support posts at the rear corners of said end panels, a shelf between said end panels,.at each end of said shelf an end rail consisting of two similarly shaped bent portions connected by a cross portion, a clamp on said support post engaging said cross portion, the ends of said rail extending through said end panel.

2. In a display stand, a base, end panels extending upwardly therefrom, a horizontal flange along the top edge of each panel, a vertical flange on each such horizontal flange, a shelf connected to said vertical flanges, support posts fixed to said end panels, an end rail for said shelf having two L-shaped portions lying in the same plane, the two portions being connected ,by a cross portion at one end of the L; a clamp on one of said support posts engaging said cross portion, the ends of said rail extending through one of said horizontal flanges, a threaded portion on one of said ends, and nuts thereon retaining said one end in position relative to said flange.

3. In a display fixture, a base portion, end panels fixed thereto, horizontally extending flanges at the top edges of said panels, having openings formed therein, support posts at the corners of said end panels passing through said openings and guided thereby, and adjusting means whereby said support posts may be selectively vertically adjusted, said adjusting means consisting of holes in said end panels, a plurality of holes uniformly spaced longitudinally of said support posts and tie means passing through said holes in said panels and through any selected set of holes in said support posts.

4. In a rack, a base portion, end panels fixed thereto, support posts at the corners of said end panels, end rails fixed to said panels, clamps for in said end panels, a plurality of holes uniformly spaced longitudinally of said support posts, tie means passing through said holes in said panels and through any selected set of holes in said support posts, and tie means passing through said clamps and through any corresponding holes in said support posts.

5. In a rack, a base portion, end panels fixed thereto, support posts at the rear portions of said end panels, for each panel an end rail consisting of two similarly shaped bent portions connected by a cross portion, a clamp on each of said support posts engaging said cross portion, the ends of said rail extending through a flange on said end panel, and adjusting means whereby said support posts may be selectively vertically adjusted, said adjusting means consisting of a plurality of holes uniformly spaced longitudinally of said support posts and tie means passing through holes in said panels and through any selected set of holes in said support posts.

6. A display stand including a base, end panels extending upwardly therefrom, an inwardly extending horizontal flange along the top edge of each panel, a vertical flange on each such horizontal flange, a shelf connected at its front corners to said vertical flanges, support posts fixed to said end panels, the rear corners of 'said shelf being connected to said posts, an end rail for said shelf having two similarly-configured portions lying in the same vertical plane, the two portions at one end thereof being connected by a cross portion integral therewith; a clamp on one of said support posts engaging said cross portion, the ends of said rail extending through one of said horizontal flanges, and means retaining one of said ends in position relative to said flange.

'7. In a display fixture, a base, a vertical supporting member mounted thereon at each end thereof, a support post at the rear end of each of said members, at each end of said fixture an end rail consisting of two similarly shaped bent portions connected by a cross portion, the ends of said rail extending vertically through said supporting member, and means retaining one of 

